Rake



March 23, 1943- l.. A. sELDoMRlDGE 2,314,635

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Patented Mar. 23, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BAKE Lonnie A. Seldomridge, Long Beach, Calif.

Application June 16, 1939, Serial No. 279,436

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a rake and |particularly to the type of rake used in cutting runners of plants such as Ibermuda grass, and other grasses, which throw out radial runners from the parent plant.

An object of my invention is to provide a novel rake; the tines of which are formed of razor blades, the blades being removably held in the head of the rake.

A further object is to provide a novel rake of the character stated, in which razor blades of the type having a heavy backing strip are effectively removably held in the head of the rake, the rake head being so constructed that one o1' more of the razor blades may be removed and relplaced and when in place these blades are tightly held in position by the simple expedient of bolts, which extend through the head.

A further object is to provide a rake of the character stated, which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and eiiective in operation.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may appear from the accompanying drawing, the subjoined detailed description, and the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary, plan view of the rake.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary, side elevation of the same.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the rake head with the blades and the handle removed.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral I indicates a rake head, and 2 the handle which is detachably secured to the head. The head l consists of a ybacking strip 3, which extends through the length of the head. A front strip 4 extends across the front of the head. Between the strips 3 and f3, I :provide a plurality of blocks y5, which are suitably xedly attached to the front strip 4 by means of suitable fasteners such as nails, or the like, which extend through the front strip and into the blocks. Razor blades 6 are clamped between the blocks and the blocks are grooved as shown at 1 to receive the heavy backing strip 8 of the razor blades. Through each of the end blocks of the rake head, bolts 9 and l0 extend, and these bolts also extend through the strips 3 and 4. The purpose of these bolts is to securely hold the strips 3 and 4 in position relative to the blocks 5. Due to the heavy backing strip 8 of the razor blades, the rake head will be slightly curved longitudinally, as shown in Figure 3, and this action also serves to more tightly clamp the razor blades between the blocks when the bolts 9 and l0 are securely tightened. The handle 2 is detachably secured to the head l, and the lower end of the handle is notched as shown at Il to receive the head l. Upper and lower lingers I2, i3, respectively, engage the upper and lower edges of the head l, and these fingers are securely clamped against the head of the rake by the bolt or bolts I4.

Having described my invention, I claim:

l. In a rake head comprising a yieldable front strip, a plurality of juxtapositioned blocks, each block being fixedly attached to the front strip, the abutted faces of the blocks being rabbeted, razor blades mounted between each adjacent pair of blocks, the razor blades each having a heavy shoulder at the back edge, said heavy shoulder fitting into the rabbeted portion of the blocks, said razor blades wedging the blocks apart suliiciently to spring said front strip to slight curvature, a substantially rigid backing strip, means extending through the backing strip and through the front strip, at each end of the rake head, whereby the front stri-p is pulled against the backing strip, thereby clamping the razor blades in assembled position.

2. In a rake head comprising a yieldable front strip, a plurality of juxtapositioned blocks, each block being xedly attached to the front strip, the abutted faces of the blocks being rabbeted, razor blades mounted between each adjacent pair of blocks, the razor blades each having a heavy shoulder at the back edge, said razor blades wedging the blocks apart suiiiciently to spring said front strip to slight curvature, a substantially rigid backing strip, a bolt extending through the front strip and the lbacking strip at each end of the rake head, thereby 4pressing the front strip towards the backing strip, and clamping the blades in assembled position.

LONNIE A. SELDOMRIDGE. 

